Official Author websiteOrder AftermathHEREOrder Influx: Clandestine Daze #1HERERead The Nocturnal Library's review of InfluxRead Fantasy Book Critic's review of Armageddon BoundRead Fantasy Book Critic's review of ResurrectionRead Fantasy Book Critic's review of At The Gates and BetrayalRead Fantasy Book Critic's review of Echoes Of The Past Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Beyond The VeilRead Fantasy Book Critic’s review of From HellRead Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Best Of Enemies Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of SkullsRead Fantasy Book Critic's review of Witch BaneRead Fantasy Book Critic's review of Prey and AnathemaRead Fantasy Book Critic interview with Tim MarquitzTim Marquitz is an indie writer and the editorial head of Ragnarok Publications. He's also one of my favorite writers because of his dark, humor-laced Demon Squad series. I've been following his career with interest as I count him as a good friend. Please join me in welcoming Tim as he chats about his newest release Aftermath as well as his other new series titled Clandestine Gaze.Q] Welcome back to Fantasy Book Critic, since the last time we spoke you have completed nine volumes in your debut series and have begun another series as well. Please talk to us about how you delineate your writing time? How you elevator pitch both of them?
TM: I just write the project that’s in front of me, which often makes it easy for me. I don’t normally have to worry too much about market trends or any of that stuff. I simply tell the story that’s kicking to get out. And since I tend to do one project at a time—normally—I just pile them up one after the other and slap keys until they’re done.
As for the Demon Squad books, the pitch would come across something like this: "In a world God and the Devil have abandoned, there’s only one man who stands a chance of piecing it back together. That man is Frank Trigg and humanity is so screwed."

Clandestine Daze is a bit more noir in its approach: "No one trusts a doppelganger, and for good reason. Behind every stolen identity lies murder.
CD is about a doppelganger Z who’s come to earth and taken over the life of a man positioned to stave off a war between humanity and a faery like race of beings while agents of both sides provoke conflict."

Q] Talking about your most recent release AFTERMATH, what can you tell us about this book? What new horror have you unleashed in Frank’s world?
TM:Aftermath begins five months after Collateral Damage and Frank is drugging and boozing his way toward oblivion when a small nuke is detonated in the small Louisiana town he’s been hiding out in. This event brings all of his trouble right back to his doorstep and opens up the Demon Squad universe to a whole new series of grief.

Q] Going over the past few books, you have taken the story in quite new worlds literally. What was your aim with the multi-dimensional nature of the tales being told?TM: I wanted to create a world that was more than just one world. I wanted an open-ended universe, something like the Marvel Universe, where there is more to the story than what is happening on the pages. There’s all these bigger issues erupting out of view but I wanted them to impact Frank and his allies. The only way to do that was to broaden the scope of the series and take Frank off planet where the reader could get some glimpse of what was going on.

Q] In book 7, we get a new POV character. This was huge as Frank has been the sole narrator for the previous six books. What was your intention for Scarlett getting a POV role?
TM: I never intended to take the view point away from Frank in any major way—at least not in the DS books—but I felt it was a great way to tell both sides of the story by bringing Scarlett into the mix. She’s so different from Frank that it was fun writing her parts from the first person and delving inside her head and giving readers a deeper understanding of her on top of it working for that particular story.

Q] A lot of Demon Squad readers are big fans of Scarlett. I count myself among them as I enjoy her straight forward worldview & badass talents. I was wondering if she will get her own book/novella to add to the Demon Squad milieu.
TM: I always worry that I would screw up a story with Scarlett at the helm. She’s the complete opposite of Frank in so many ways that I’m concerned I might fumble her perspective and ruin the character. For me to sit down and write a bigger piece for her I’d have to be certain I could do so without sacrificing the nature of her character first.

Q] In book 8 we get to see Frank as a father, how big of a change was that for him especially from the carefree rogue that we saw in the earlier books? What was the most enjoyable part for you in writing those scenes?
TM: Frank isn’t good father material and he knows it, but for a while there he gave it his all and had Karra to rein him in. With those two in his life he finally found something to fight for and something to avoid fighting for. It’s the love he never truly felt or understood and that changed him in a lot of ways that will become evident as the series progresses.

I think the most enjoyable part was that it was so familiar. I remember sitting with my daughter on my lap, listening to heavy metal while she laughed and farted and had a grand old time.

Q] Within the last few books, the action has been extra-terrestrial/dimensional to say the least. Will Aftermath be grounding the action to Earth then?
TM: Mostly. The overreaching issues will always pull Frank away from earth somewhat and always have an impact on the story. I’ve been focusing the series more closely on earth lately and will continue that for a while but the story will take Frank wherever it needs to.

Q] You have also been writing about the Clandestine Daze series, what precautions did you take to differentiate it from your Demon Squad books?TM: Clandestine Daze is more steeped in a noir influence, the scale smaller, more focused. While there are two conflicting worlds there are no overly-powerful beings who can shift the tide, no aliens or gods to muddy the waters. CD also deals more closely with the impact the story has on the main character and the people in his life.

The series is also a bit darker in attitude. While the Demon Squad books are certainly dark there is a lot of humor that lightens the worst of moods. There’s less of that in CD. It’s a more serious series overall.

Q] What can the readers expect next from the next volumes in the Demon Squad & Clandestine Daze series?
TM: The Demon Squad series will continue to be fantastic in scope, diverse and weird. The new books open a long hinted at change in the dynamic of the world. I’m going to explore that and see where it takes me.

Clandestine Daze will likely wrap up the current storyline within another two books, and then Z will be free to explore other lives and scenarios.

Q] I recall that a cover was revealed of your next big anthology, MECH: Age of Steel, the sequel to Kaiju Rising? What can you reveal about its inception and author lineup? When will it be launched?
TM: Ah, the eternally delayed project that is MECH. We’re still working on it but it’s been a matter of getting our chaos under control. It will be out on Kickstarter in a couple months. We’ve had to get some organizational crap under control with Ragnarok but we’re definitely going to do the book.

As for how it came about, Nick Sharps brought the idea to us alongside Kaiju Rising. And after that campaign went gangbusters MECH just fell into place with a fantastic lineup and great art and all the hallmarks of Kaiju Rising.

Q] Thank you very much for your time and for answering all the questions. What would like to pass on to your fans both old and new?
TM: Appreciate you having me. I just want to say thanks to everyone who’s supported me over the years and have spread the word about my writing. It’s been a hell of a journey and I couldn’t have done it without you folks.